Xterra World Championship Course Recon

 

The weather has been interesting this week. Our first morning in Maui gave us light rain. As the rain continued to fall, the trails got muddy and slippery. Even though Karel changed out his tires prior to the trip (in anticipation for muddy conditions), it only took one ride for Karel to feel that he needed even better tires suited for even muddier conditions. The trails were so slippery and his tires were covered in mud it was as if he was ice skating on his bike. Thankfully he only had one fall and didn't injure himself. 

I decided to stick to the road for my shake out run and just walked a few sections of the end of the course (trail). It was slippery and I didn't have my trail shoes on so I was extra careful. 

On Wednesday, Karel purchased new tires from the expo and installed them himself in our condo. Even though the course was dry on Wednesday, there is a big rain storm coming this weekend (starting tomorrow) so he is happy with his new setup - even though the conditions will make the course extra challenging and his tires will still get super muddy.

On Wednesday morning we went for an ocean swim and around mid day, while Karel and our friend Ross (from Greenville, SC) were biking the course, I went out for a trail run. I ran on Karel's triathlon run course (~6 miles of the 6.5 mile course) which is also part of my 21K run course. The course was clearly marked with red run signs. 

Within the first 1/2 mile, my heart was beating rapidly and my legs were burning. For the next few miles, I felt like I was constantly climbing and climbing and climbing. Even when there was a downhill, he never lasted long enough to recover. To not fully exhaust/damage my legs and to minimize the risk for a fall/injury/niggle, I walked (aka hiked) more than I ran - especially on the more technical sections. Even though the course was "dry" my shoes were still covered in mud and I could feel them getting heavier and heavier as the mud was accumulating under my shoes (I stopped a few times to wipe the mud off with sticks). 

As I marveled in the beauty of this course - a bit Jurassic park like - I could not help but think how challenging, exhausting and difficult this 21K trail run will be. The course map shows just under 2000 feet of elevation that we will experience over all types of terrain. And from what I experienced during my recon run, the hills are super steep and relentless. Even though there was beauty all around me while running, I couldn't help but feel the scream in my legs and my heart beating out of my chest. And while it's warm here, it's not overly hot - just hot enough to remind me that I am on an island. 

While I'm excited and grateful for this trail run experience, I am also very nervous as it's going to be an incredible test of mental strength, resiliency, endurance, strength, stamina and focus. 

Karel is excited for his adventure and wants the most epic race experience possible. With the predicted weather forecast and difficulty of the course, I think he's in for a very memorable Xterra World Championship event. 

Here are some pics from the past few days, exercising in Maui. 

XTERRA Trail Run National Championship (21km)

 

After the award ceremony, we made our way back down from Snow Basin and arrived back to our Airbnb around 3pm on Saturday afternoon. I was pretty exhausted from all the walking and spectating during Karel's race. I also had a very odd niggle in my right knee (probably from the spontaneous running to get from one location to the next while cheering for Karel). I spent the rest of the afternoon in bed relaxing (and eating/hydrating) and around 7pm, I was ready for bed. I didn't have any nerves for the race so I found myself sleeping pretty good. 

I woke up to the alarm at 6:30am and had my typical pre-race meal of a cup of instant Nescafe Gold coffee, water and a cinnamon raisin bagel, peanut butter and strawberry jelly. I did some foam rolling and mobility work and then went for a short jog around our complex. My knee felt better which was a good thing. It was nice not feeling rushed for the race. We arrived at 7:45am and it felt like I had forever until I raced. We hung out in the Snow Basin lobby for a while (downstairs) and then I did some more warming up before making my way to the start line around 8:45am. Karel was on his mountain bike so that he could spectate at various places on the course. He was really sore from his race so he had absolutely no interest in running the next day. Mountain biking while spectating was hard enough. 

Although I had registered for this race a week before we left for IM 70.3 World Championship in St. George, I had no idea how I would recover. Within the 7 days from race to race, I tried my best to keep myself moving. Sunday was a 2-hour leisurely hike in Snow Canyon, Monday was a 1:48 bike/17 min run, Tuesday we swam (3300) before leaving for Ogden and then I did a short run when we arrived (22 minutes). On Wednesday I ran the big loop of my run course (some of Karel's bike course) for 80 minutes (8 miles) and on Thursday I did a morning swim w/ Karel (4000 yards) and an afternoon 2 hour ride around the reservoir and then up to (and down) Snow Basin. On Friday I ran the other part of my run course (57 minutes) and on Saturday I spectated Karel at his race. In total I did 18.4 miles of running between the two races. It wasn't until Thursday that I felt like my legs were finally starting to become less sore (the run on Wed) kinda helped. By Saturday, I felt recovered from the race - only to smash my legs once again.

With this being my 2nd ever trail race (and first at altitude), I knew it was going to be a challenge. I had no goals for the race and I knew the competition would be fierce with this being the trail run national championship. This race was all about me having fun, challenging myself and being in nature - all things I like to do when training/racing. I just had no idea how hard it would really be. 

Quick Recap: In total, the race was 12.8 miles and it took me 2 hours and 10 minutes to complete (10:11 min/mile). I was 2nd in my age group (35-39). The race started at 6600 feet and went up to 7400 feet. In total, I covered ~2800 feet of elevation gain. For reference, the half marathon in the 70.3 at the World Championship in St. George had ~1500 feet elevation gain. I've never had to walk so much in a half marathon as my legs were just not able to run up the steep hills. My calves were screaming at me going up and my quads were yelling back on the way down. And the altitude was so tough! This all made for a memorable and challenging race! 

We started the race with 2 "parade" laps around the parking lot for 0.9 miles. I am not one for sprinting when I start running so I was already being passed by a lot of runners. I thought that I would be able to make up some ground on the climbs and while I was able to pass some of the runners back, it eventually came down to who could walk the fastest up the climbs. 

The 21K had two distinct sections. The first section was on some of Karel's run course. Since we were at a ski resort, we climbed up the mountain for 1.5 miles on rocks and gravel. It just kept going and going. I finally got to the downhill section (2.34 miles) but my lack of trail running skills made it tough to pick up a lot of ground. I also wanted to be courteous to those behind me so I often pulled over to the side when runners were behind me so that they could pass. Everyone was really nice, supportive and encouraging. Even when I passed another runner (which didn't happen a lot) he/she would say "great job." The 3.9 mile off-road section took me 38:55 (or 10:00 min/mile average). And I thought I was walking a lot but that wasn't until I got to the next section where I was making all types of deals with myself to try to run (but my body just wanted to walk).

Nearing Karel's bike course (up to Sardine Peak), my legs were already so sore and tired. I had two flasks with me of Orange Skratch (1 scoop each flask) and I also brought a sleeve of Ginger Chews (Clif). There was one aid station before the climb up to Sardine Peak and I regret not topping off my bottles with water as I felt myself rationing my fluids for this loop. 

Next came a 1100-foot, 2.84 mile climb that took me 35 minutes (12:30 min/mile). I tried to run as much as I could but walking seemed to be the theme. I would tell myself - just run for 30 steps or run the downhill (for 10 steps) just to see if I could do it. But I was pretty tired and the altitude made it hard to push (and recover). Thankfully, my endurance and resiliency helped me keep going but it was a challenge to get to the top. I saw Karel near the top and it was great to see him. He knew how hard it would be to run this trail (as he just biked it during his race). 

Once I finally got to the top, I had 3.29 miles of downhill (1260 feet elevation loss) to enjoy (8:48 min/mile, 29 minutes). Although I had gravity on my side, it was a lot of work to stay mentally engaged for almost 30 minutes of downhill running on rocks, dirt, roots, and switchbacks. But it was fun. I never worried about my pace but instead, I just used my watch to check off the miles. 

With only 1 mile left to go, I stopped at the aid station to top off my flask with water (I finished my flasks of Skratch and had two chews) and I got some cheers from Karel as he biked back to the finish line. The last 1.8 miles felt like they took forever and even with the finish line so close, I still had to walk some of the hills as I made my way to the finish. I didn't have many athletes around me in the last 4-5 miles so while it was a lonely run, it was also very therapeutic as I was alone with my own thoughts. Anytime I found myself with a negative, ego-destructive thought, I immediately replaced it with something positive - often relating it to how lucky I am to be healthy and in nature, doing something that I enjoy with my body. This run experience was very humbling with so many fast trail runners (most of which live/train at altitude). 

When I got to the finish line, I was elated that this adventure was complete. Two challenging events in 7 days. Our Utah race-cation was finally complete! 

Here's some pics from the run course (taken during my training run - thankful I had an opportunity to enjoy the views before the race! The timing of this race was perfect as the leaves were just starting to change color):

Pics/Videos from Karel 

RESULTS

Xterra Oak Mountain 20K Trail Run - Race Recap (Marni)

Prior to bed, I told Karel that I was really excited to race but also nervous. Going into this event, had no prior trail racing experience and have only done a few off-road runs over the past few years. As a total newbie, I just bought a new (my second ever) pair of trail running shoes (On Cloudultra) on Monday - six days before the event. To break-in the shoes, I wore them on Saturday while spectating Karel's Xterra triathlon race. So much for not trying something new on race day. 

After a light night of sleep, I woke up at 5:45am and had a pre-race snack of a cinnamon raisin bagel with PB, banana and syrup (I didn't bring waffles - my typical pre-race/workout snack) and a coffee and water. I did some light foam rolling and mobility in the hotel room before we left for the race venue at 7am. 

With a bit less competitors compared to the Xterra race, we had no trouble parking. Each entry to the park was $5/person (cash only) but there was no line to get in so it was a smooth morning. 

We arrived shortly before the start of the trail marathon so it was fun to give them a cheer as they started their 26+ mile off-road adventure. 

After a short 1-mile jog warm-up, we met up with our athletes/friends Josh and Eedee who were also racing (Eedee also did the sprint off-road triathlon on Saturday!). Karel was there to cheer us on, along with Campy - the professional spectator. 

I opted to not wear a tank over my sport bra as I am much more comfortable running in just a sport bra and my tri shorts. I also had my Naked run belt for my hydration (1 x 10 ounce, 80-calories Skratch Orange and 1 x 10 ounce, 80-calories Skratch grape). I also had two gels and some chews in my belt as I wasn't sure what I would need during the event so I had back-up fuel just in case. Although there were aid stations on the course (water and gatorade), I wanted to have extra calories as the woods make it hard to refuel in an emergency situation). 

The 5K, 10K and 5 x 5K relay runners went ahead of us so we were the last wave to start. 

We lined up for the start and at 8:20am, we were off.

The start was fast and I was not liking that pace. It takes me a while to build into a strong effort and if you know me, I am not a sprinter. So right away my heart rate was up. I embraced being uncomfortable from the start and welcomed the new experience and whatever came my way. I found myself at the back of the front pack and there were three women just ahead of me. I had one female next to me and we ran together for a good two miles. I pass another female in the first part of the trail section so around mile one I was the third female - but the lady behind me made sure I kept on my pace as I felt like I couldn't slow down too much or else she would catch me. 

After a 1/2 mile of running on the road, we made a left turn into the first trail section. I passed a few males and everyone was really nice - there were a lot of back and forth cheers and "good job" to one another. I wasn't sure of the etiquette for passing on the trail so I just said "passing" to the person ahead of me. 

The first mile was a good introduction to trail running as I quickly realized that I was not quick on my feet (literally) running downhill. While I was ok uphill, I definitely found myself slowing down a little on the downhills. I felt like I got better as the miles ticked by but it was more of a "learn as you go" type of experience.

Once we got to the first aid station, I had a sip of water (you had to grab the pre-filled cups from the table and then toss into the trash can) and cooled myself off. It wasn't too warm out but the effort was making me feel a bit warm. I also kept my ROKA shades on my hat as it was hard to see the ground with the tint of my sunglasses (I forgot to bring the lenses that I use for gravel riding, which are a bit lighter).

After crossing a bridge and then running over a beautiful open section next to the lake, it was back into the forest. Next came a really technical section with a lot of loose rocks so I was careful running down as to not hurt myself. Just after around 2 miles in, I was surprised to see Karel and Campy there cheering for me. Karel always finds a way to be super creative with spectating and he continued to pop-up all over the course. 

The next three miles went by pretty quickly as I was hyper focused on the terrain under me. There were some short steep climbs but nothing too long. I really loved the dynamics of running on the trail as it felt like a rollercoaster - up and down, up and down. I only checked in on my watch here and there as the pace didn't concern me but I was happy to see that I was averaging around 9 min/miles (I was thinking I would be closer to 10 min/miles since Karel "only" ran 48 minutes for his 10K. The aid stations were nice as I had something to look forward to (3 on each loop) and it was also fun to run into the other runners from the shorter distances. I even ran into Eedee so it was great to see a familiar face. Josh, her hubby, was in the front pack so I never saw him after the race start. 

For the next mile (which was a loop before heading back to the pavement), I really enjoyed jumping over falling tree trunks and running on wooden bridges. I couldn't believe that 6.2 miles and 55 minutes of running had passed by so quickly! As I made my way on to the pavement, I tried to pick up the pace a bit to see if I could get closer to the other females but they were way ahead of me. But I still needed to keep my pace up to maintain my third female position. After making my way by the 2nd loop sign, I was onto the pavement again (after a short off-road section by the race venue) to start loop two. 

I took in half of a gel to see if it would give me a bit of a pick-me-up around 15-20 minutes later as I knew I would need it. Although I felt good on the pavement, once I passed through the first trail section and onto the exposed path by the lake, I could feel a low moment. I had a video camera man running next to me so that gave me a little incentive to stay focused. 

At this point, I was running by myself. I saw Karel a few more times near the end of the first loop and a few times on the 2nd loop and then there was a long section when I was by myself and I kinda convinced myself that I was off course. Thankfully I saw an arrow so I was relieved to be on the right course. Although the course was well-marked, it was easy to not pay attention as you have to be so focused on the ground under you. 

I continued to drink my flasks about every 10 minutes and water from the aid stations. My hips started to get really tired and my upper body was getting sore in the middle of the 2nd loop. I tried to slow down on the downhill sections but it didn't really help to loosen things out. I had one complete stop around mile 10.5 and it was a needed reset for my mind and body. I did have two gentle falls where I caught myself (only my knees and hands lightly hit the ground) - I guess my legs were tired and I didn't clear the roots. I never found myself wanting the event to end as I was having a lot of fun. I felt like my running endurance and resilience really helped me in this event. I enjoyed being competitive and feeling like I was racing but I also felt like I was getting in a really great workout. Whereas I usually have to take more walk breaks when I run to reset my form, I felt like my legs knew exactly what to do on the trails. 

I tried to pick it up for the last 1/2 mile and gave it all I could when I reached the finish line. I loved seeing Karel and Campy out on the course. 

When I crossed the finish line, I was exhausted. But the good kind of exhaustion. Unlike a road running race, my body didn't feel too beat-up and my joints weren't as smashed as I thought they would be. Even in the hours after the race, I was shocked that I was just tired but not struggling like in a road running race. 

I ended up first in my age group and 3rd overall female and I received a complimentary entry to the 21K Trail Race in Maui - in conjunction with the Xterra World Championship (which Karel just qualified for in December). 

After the event, we chatted a bit with Eedee and Josh and then made our way back to the hotel to pack-up and hit the road for our drive home. And speaking of our drive home, our 5-hour drive turned into a 10.5-hour drive because of an accident on I-85 (right before the South Carolina state line). Talk about a life lesson on discipline and patience! 

A truck with hazardous materials crashed three miles ahead of us and we were stopped on the road for over 2 hours. With the north and south bound lanes of I-85 closed, it wasn't until around 7:30pm when police escorted all of the cars on the grass median before figuring out how to detour our way back on the interstate. It took another hour to go a few miles due to all of the traffic and after a needed bathroom and gas refill stop, we finally got back on the interstate and arrived home just after 10:30pm. It was a loooong day but Campy never complained. 

This past weekend was just the spice of life that we needed. Karel is over-the-moon with the opportunity to race more Xterra events and I am looking forward to tagging along and participating in more trail runs.